Fallen Doves
by Ravenblackdove
Summary: Five years after the battle with Pitch, Sasami and Yugi have become Black Doves and the whole family is thrown into a convoluted and mysterious plot, but by who, and why??
1. Assassins

Author's Note: This story is based on the future of a series I posted  
  
earlier. If you have not read Fallen Dove, Fallen Dove 2, and Fallen Dove 3,  
  
you should read them before proceding as you will not understand the story  
  
unless you do. Thank you and I hope you enjoy my tribute to Tenchi Muyo,  
  
known as the Fallen Dove Saga.  
  
Chapter 1: Assassins  
  
Hundreds, maybe even thousands of people had died at his hands. He was one of the greatest assassins of all time and his reputation preceded him. He was incredibly fast and unbelievably strong. He stalked his targets with stealth and cunning, and killed them with ease and efficiency. He hardly ever seemed to show any emotion one way or another about his work, or much of anything for that matter. Never had his skill in martial arts and all other forms of combat been matched in battle.  
  
Valec hit the stone floor hard. He winced at the searing pain that shot through him as he felt his cheek bone crack on impact. Still, somehow, he managed to push his upper body up from the ground, bringing one knee forward a little to take some of the weight off of his arms. He turned his head to look back at his opponent, spitting blood on the floor as he did. Valec had been undefeated in his entire career of three thousand years. Undefeated, that is, until he was found by a Black Dove.  
  
Beautiful and visibly calm, Sasami, who now resembled a young Tsunami, stood waiting for her opponent to either surrender or make another attack. A little ways away from her, Yugi, who was also older now, stood aside waiting for her companion to bring yet another battle to a close.  
  
Valec slowly and painfully rose to his feet. His fangs glistened red as his own blood coated and dripped from them. He was breathing heavily, trying to regain his breath. He knew very well that he was screwed. Fighting a Black Dove was a losing battle to begin with, but he was unlucky enough to run into two. Not that he was fighting both of them, but even if he was lucky enough to somehow beat the first one, the second would have no problem taking him out. Of course, even that grim scenario didn't seem very likely. He was losing to the first one, and from what he could tell, he was barely even putting up a fight. He hated to sink low enough to resort to it, but he had to get out of this somehow.  
  
"I'll tell you who my employer is if you let me go.", he said, being very direct.  
  
"If I let you go, you must promise to find a new profession.", Sasami answered with a serious tone.  
  
"Agreed.", Valec replied, knowing that if he went back on his word they would find him and kill him.  
  
"Who sent you?", Sasami asked.  
  
"The Paleemic Republic.", Valec answered.  
  
He waited for the reply, expecting more questions, but to his surprise there were none. Sasami and Yugi turned and left. Valec couldn't believe what had just happened. He never would have thought it would be that easy. But it no longer mattered. He was alive and not in prison. Now he just had to get out of the Jurian palace and get back to his ship before the palace guards, who he knew wouldn't agree with the Black Dove's decision, came to finish him off in his weakened condition. Not that the Jurian warriors were ever a match for him, even when handicapped, but he didn't want to take the chance of making the Doves come back. He picked his sword up from the ground and quickly ran off into the halls of the great palace.  
  
******************************************************  
  
Azuza's attention turned to the two young women walking into his throne room. The king looked very annoyed and frustrated as his daughter and her companion approached him. Sasami and Yugi stopped several feet from him and bowed in respect and greeting. The king bowed his head in return.  
  
"The assassin is gone and he won't be coming back.", Sasami said.  
  
"Very well. Thank you for your help.", Azuza said in a spiteful voice.  
  
Sasami's eyes stared into her father's eyes with increasing anger and frustration. She was expecting him to say something like that. But she wasn't finished with him.  
  
"I figured you'd do that, daddy.", she said, anger showing through in her voice.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about.", Azuza glared at his daughter.  
  
This made Sasami increasingly angry. He knew damn well what she was talking about. He just wouldn't admit it.  
  
"You can't just keep brushing it off like that.", Sasami demanded."Haven't you noticed how you always seem to get everybody mad at you and the people of Jurai?"  
  
Azuza became infuriated. "How dare you speak to me that way! It's bad enough you joined that Black Dove group against my wishes! Now you defy me in my own throne room?"  
  
"Daddy, you can't live my life for me.", Sasami argued back. "The Black Doves are where I want to be, and being a part of that has shown me a lot. One of the things that it showed me was that just about all of the galaxy's most notorious and dangerous criminals became so because of the actions of the Jurai royal family. Kaelan Kinkari, Valec Tesika, Yuzuha, there's plenty more, all of them fighting because Jurai did something to them, their people, or their employer's people. In the case of Kaelan Kinkari, it was because Jurai had all but starved his people to death in an attempt to force them into submission thousands of years ago, and even to this day Jurai hasn't done a thing to help them. All they got was an I'm sorry, please don't be mad at us."  
  
"Is that what those Black Dove's are teaching you, Sasami?", Azuza fumed. "To blame me for all of the criminals in the galaxy?"  
  
"No, daddy. But they are teaching me to understand both sides of the story so I don't make any mistakes in my judgment.", Sasami explained. "If you weren't so stubborn, you'd see that."  
  
"That's enough Sasami!", the king commanded. "If you disagree with me so much, why don't you just leave already!"  
  
Sasami glared with furious eyes at her father, then turned to leave. Yugi followed close behind.  
  
**********************************************************  
  
Sasami fell hard into her chair in the cockpit of her ship, letting an angry breath escape as she collapsed. Her eyes stared off into nowhere as though she were visually reviewing today's events. Yugi sat in the seat beside her and glanced over at her frustrated friend.  
  
"Why does he have to be this stubborn?", Sasami said, not really meaning it as a question. "He's always been like this. He wouldn't even come to see Yosho's burial."  
  
"There's always a reason for the way people are.", Yugi said calmly. "Maybe you just don't understand his yet."  
  
Sasami's facial muscles relaxed and she calmed down a little. The anger in her expression faded away and she gently closed her eyes and leaned her head back in her seat. She sighed and turned her head toward Yugi, opening her eyes to look gently at her best friend's face smiling at her.  
  
"Thanks, Yugi.", Sasami smiled. "Maybe I should have a talk with him, father to daughter instead of Black Dove to King."  
  
"That sounds like a good idea.", Yugi agreed. "And thanks for not mentioning me when you were talking about the criminals created by Jurai."  
  
"You're welcome.", Sasami nodded. "I knew it would make the situation uncomfortable for you if I had."  
  
"Hmm. So, are you going back to talk to him?", Yugi asked.  
  
"I guess I should.", Sasami said.  
  
"Should I come with you?", Yugi offered.  
  
"You can if you want, but I think me and my dad should be alone for a while when we talk.", Sasami explained.  
  
"Ok then, I'll walk you to the door and I'll wait for you there.", Yugi said.  
  
"Ok.", Sasami smiled brightly.  
  
***************************************************  
  
"I just can't believe that my own daughter would turn against me like that!", Azuza bellowed.  
  
The king was pacing back and forth in his throne room, venting his frustrations to his personal guards and servants, the latter of which were running around busily, trying to decorate the throne room for a party later on that night.  
  
"How could she speak that way to her father?", he continued.  
  
"That's easy.", a voice said from the doorway. "She opened her mouth and verbally voiced her low opinion of you."  
  
Azuza turned to see who had dared mock him in his own throne room, only to see three very familiar faces. Two young women and one young man. All looked about in their late teens. The young man stood in the middle of the three. He was the one who spoke. Azuza's eyes widened with shock.  
  
"Y- Yosho?", Azuza stuttered. He glanced over the other two. "Ayeka? Tsunami?"  
  
"Wrong.", The young man said. "But I've already answered you're question. Now it's my turn. And have I got a question for you."  
  
****************************************************  
  
"Thanks for walking me to the door.", Sasami smiled.  
  
"Good luck.", Yugi said.  
  
Sasami pushed open the doors to the throne room, revealing two dead guards laying on the ground, and her father at the feet of three black wearing people. Though it was a disturbing sight to walk in on in the first place, the real shock came when they turned to face her.  
  
"Well, you weren't supposed to find us yet, but oh well.", the one who looked like a teenage Yosho said.  
  
"Are you sure that's the one, Famik?", The one who looked like Ayeka spoke up, skeptically. "She doesn't look very strong."  
  
Sasami was in a state of shock and confusion as she looked at the face of her sister. "Sister? But.. you..."  
  
"Yep.", the Tsunami look alike laughed. "That's her."  
  
Sasami turned her attention to the last one. She was dazed and confused as it seemed like she was looking at a mirror reflection come to life. She couldn't understand what was going on.  
  
"Well, she doesn't look like that much of a challenge, but the Doctor said to watch out for her.", young Yosho said.  
  
Yugi ran to Sasami and shook her. "Sasami snap out of it! They killed your father!"  
  
Sasami, still dazed, glanced down at her father, laying motionless on the ground. Suddenly she was back to normal. She glared at the three characters ahead of her and prepared to take revenge for her father.  
  
"Well, ready to fight now, are we?", Yosho said. "In that case allow me to introduce myself. My name is Famik, and these are my sisters."  
  
"Skeirmisa.", Tsunami said, waving.  
  
"Pessina.", Ayeka gave a little bow.  
  
"So now, show us what you're made of.", Famik said with a mischievous smile.  
  
Sasami and Yugi took up their fighting positions and looked over their new opponents. The room was still and silent for a long while. The tension was mounting. Finally, Sasami could wait no longer. She made the first move.  
  
Sasami ran toward Famik, leaping into a jumping spin kick. Famik stepped back just a little, Sasami's kick missing his face by an inch. He still had his smile. The fight between Sasami and Famik had begun. Taking that as their cue, Pessina and Skeirmisa charged Yugi together. Yugi's eyes darted from one to the other, then she quickly leaped backward as Pess jumped and spun a kick at Yugi's face and Skeir did the same toward her feet. Yugi escaped barely and shot a bolt of lightning from her hand toward Pessina. Pess quickly formed a force field around her, much like Ayeka's only a hell of a lot stronger. The bolt was stopped dead in it's tracks. Yugi's face turned to surprise, seeing what had just happened. Before she had a chance to process it all in her head, Skeir came up with a hard punch to her stomach, forcing the wind out of her and causing her to double over. The next thing she knew, a blast of energy shot from Skeirmisa's fist, which was still imbedded against Yugi's stomach, launching her through the air. She came down hard on her back, and brought herself to her feet without acknowledging the pain.  
  
Sasami threw punch after punch and kick after kick, all the while Famik was blocking and dodging every one almost effortlessly. Sasami formed her light hawk sword and swung it across at his midsection. Her eyes widened in not only surprise but fear as her adversary was shielded from her attack by his own set of light hawk wings. She stopped and looked at him with amazement.  
  
"How...how did you..", she stuttered.  
  
Famik smiled. "Why don't you try to guess, princess?"  
  
"Are we related?", Sasami asked.  
  
"Nope.", Famik shook his head.  
  
"You're Yosho's clone.", Sasami said.  
  
"Wrong again.", Famik frowned. "You know, from the way the Doc went on and on about you, I figured you'd be more challenging than this, or at least a little smarter."  
  
Sasami let this process for just a moment. Then her posturing changed back to aggressiveness.  
  
"Fine, if that's how you want it.", she said.  
  
Famik ignited his light hawk sword and charged for the attack. He slashed across at her waist, but she quickly brought her sword down to block it, stopping it just before it could reach her. At that very instant, while she was concentrating on the swords, two small bolts of energy shot out from Famik's shoulder opposite the side where the swords collided. The energy bolts seared into Sasami's shoulder, knocking her back. She squealed as she fell to the floor. Famik followed her down with his sword. At the last possible second, Sasami saw the sword coming and knocked it to the side with her own. Famik's blade buried itself into the ground right beside Sasami's face. Without any hesitation, she instinctively swung her legs up, kicking Famik in the face, and causing him to spiral through the air and land hard on the floor beside his sword. They both leaped to their feet simultaneously. Famik tried to reach for his sword, but Sasami held her blade out toward him, keeping him just out of reach of the handle. Famik was no longer smiling.  
  
Yugi was barely holding her own against the two amazing fighters who had set their sights on her. They seemed to be using all of the powers and skills that the people they looked like had, only theirs were a lot stronger than the originals. Something else was grabbing her attention though, and it wasn't making her happy about being there. Her opponents were fighting as though they were Doves. Everything, the way they fought, the way they used their powers, even the focus and mentality in the face of danger and pain, it all screamed of Black Dove style. And it didn't look like they were at all new to it. She was fighting a losing battle and she knew it. Her power wasn't nearly as strong as Sasami's, and she figured they knew that too. That was why they teamed up on her like this, so they could get her out of the way early and then turn all their power on Sasami. Yugi was familiar with this tactic since she herself had used it on Tenchi and the Masaki family. Not only were they strong and fast as hell, but they were smart. They were definitely Black Dove material. Famik was just playing with Sasami, trying not to use his full power so as not to incite her to use hers. He was stalling until the other two could get there. Yugi had to do something to change the pace of this fight.  
  
Quickly, Yugi burst into the air and began to fly as fast as she could, weaving through the gargantuan, stone pillars that held the ceiling up. Skeirmisa and Pessina followed quickly. Pessina broke off and started flying off to the side. Yugi knew this tactic as well. Pess tried to fly quiet and stay out of sight, but Yugi kept her in her sights. Skeir fired a shot of energy that screamed past Yugi's face, but Yugi still kept Pess in sight. Finally, Yugi began to circle back, keeping Skeir behind and Pess at safe distance. She dropped to the deck and flew in close to the ground, coming up behind Famik and firing an intense blast of energy into his back, knocking a scream out of him and launching him to the opposite side of the very long room. Yugi rocketed past Sasami, who leaped into the air with a spin kick to Skeirmisa's jaw as she followed close behind Yugi, flying right past her. The blow connected hard and sent Skeir flipping over backwards through the air past Sasami and slamming into the hard marble floor, smashing the back of her head into the ground. Still in surprise at how quickly the tables had turned, Pessina didn't see Yugi fly up behind her and spin around, using the momentum to power a knife hand attack to Pess's throat, sending Pess flying backward, gripping her throat and struggling to breath. Without hesitation, Yugi fired another blast at Pess, blasting her across the room and slamming her into the wall behind her.  
  
Famik picked himself up and brushed himself off. He turned back to see what was going on, becoming angry and distressed as he noticed his sisters were down as well.  
  
"Well, it seems we've underestimated you two.", he growled. "Strategically that puts us in a very bad position even if we do outnumber you."  
  
"Who are you and why did you kill my father?", Sasami demanded.  
  
Skeirmisa also began to get up and recover, cradling the back of her head with a very pissed off look on her face.  
  
"We already told you our names, and you're not getting any more than that.", Famik replied. "As for why we're here, you'll just have to keep on wondering."  
  
Pess stood from under the rubble, heavy broken slabs of stone falling aside as she rose to a stand. She rubbed her throat, still having a little trouble breathing. The two sisters joined their brother side by side. Sasami's eyes narrowed.  
  
"You're not getting away!", Sasami shouted, Yugi joining her side.  
  
Famik smiled skeptically. "Oh? Why don't you tell that to those servants over there."  
  
Famik pointed to a group of Jurian servants, tied up in a group. Sasami and Yugi turned to look, and at the very moment they did, Famik and his sisters blasted away a couple of the pillars and took off through the halls of the palace. Just as Sasami was about to follow them, she noticed the ceiling starting to collapse. She and Yugi ran over to the servants as fast as they could and just as the millions of tons of rubble was about to crush them into nothing, Sasami activated her light hawk shield around them. The ceiling crashed down, burying them in thousands upon millions of tons of stone. When the dust finally settled, the room was silent and motionless, and all that could be seen were immense piles of broken slabs of rock.  
  
A soft glow of yellow light began to emanate from under one of the piles. It started to shine very brightly, and finally, accompanied by Yugi's scream, a huge blast of energy exploded upward from the pile, sending the mass of giant rocks through the air and off to the side, the ones going straight up being disintegrated by the massive amount of energy. Finally the blast subsided and Yugi, who was breathing heavily, brought her hands down from being stretched over her head, back to her sides. Sasami released the Light Hawk shield and glared angrily in the direction of the hallway the trio had disappeared into. They had gotten away. 


	2. Reunions

Chapter 2: Reunions  
  
"You know, after all this time these little bio energy check ups of ours are starting to get a little redundant.", Washu said, typing away on her floating laptop.  
  
"I was thinking the same thing all day today.", Raven agreed, as he stood almost naked except for his underwear in a cylindrical glass tube.  
  
A blue beam of light began to pass over Raven's body, starting from his head and working its way down. When it got to the bottom, it turned red and started its way back up. Washu's eyes watched her display as the test continued and the light went through yellow, green, purple, pink, and finally white. Despite the fact that she knew for sure the test would come out normal as usual, she watched with intense concentration for anything that might come up abnormal. The light shut off and the glass tube slid open. Washu looked up at Raven as he stepped out of the chamber.  
  
"All clear.", she said. "Your energy pattern hasn't had a single fluctuation since your last battle with Pitch. The only difference is that now it's much more powerful, but I'm sure you were expecting that."  
  
Raven nodded. "That's the training at work."  
  
Washu looked at Raven with deep, somber eyes. "You train hard these days, don't you? More than you ever have before."  
  
"And you lock yourself in your lab working on countless projects more than before.", Raven replied.  
  
"It helps a little, to take my mind off of...", Washu trailed off and dropped her gaze.  
  
"I know.", Raven spoke up. "My training helps me to expend some of my tensions and stress. It also takes me back to those good times."  
  
A tear began to stream down Washu's face as she closed her eyes. "She really loved training with you.", Washu felt a lump forming in her throat and she sniffled as more tears ran down her cheeks.  
  
Raven's dark eyes gazed sympathetically as well as knowingly at Washu as she silently cried in front of him.  
  
"She really loved you.", Washu continued, trying her best to hold herself back from exploding into tears as she did so often in her lab alone whenever the work wasn't enough to take her mind.  
  
It wasn't working well enough though and Raven could hear it in her voice. He walked over to her and held her close in his arms. As he did, Washu buried her face in his chest and began to wail. Raven just held her close and shut his eyes, tears streaming down the sides of his own face.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Kerra looked up from her book as Raven opened the door and walked in. She stood up from where she sat beside the small bed and smiled at Raven.  
  
"How is she?", Raven asked.  
  
"Sleeping like a baby.", Kerra said.  
  
"That's my little girl.", Raven smiled.  
  
Kerra's face turned concerned. "How's mom?"  
  
"I think it's getting harder for her rather than easier with time.", Raven lost his smile. "It hasn't gotten much easier for me either."  
  
"Raven..", Kerra started, but didn't really know what to say in the first place.  
  
Raven walked over and took Kerra's hands. He looked deeply into her eyes with a look of sincere thankfulness and gratitude.  
  
"Kerra, I want to thank you for all that you've done for my daughter. You've been all but her true mother in these past four years and I'm immensely grateful. To tell you the truth, I'm afraid to think of what her life would be like without anything resembling a mother. I don't know what I could possibly do to repay you for all that you've done for us."  
  
Kerra shook her head. "Raven, you reunited me with my mother after so many thousands of years of me wishing for that very thing, and that little girl over there is the last and best thing you and my sister have ever done. I owe it to you, and I owe it to Ryoko. She died to give birth to that beautiful little girl over there, so, it's the least I could do."  
  
Raven smiled. Kerra returned the smile.  
  
***************************************************  
  
"We're home!", Tenchi called into the house as he and Sakuya walked in.  
  
They each carried several bags of groceries in each arm as they entered. Devin was the first to come and greet them. He cradled a baby in his arms as he did so.  
  
"Hi guys.", Devin smiled. "How was your trip to Tokyo today?"  
  
"It was great!", Sakuya said excitedly. "We went and saw all kinds of neat places. There was a festival going on, and we went to see a lot of interesting stores and sights. We even went to eat at a fancy restaurant. It was a lot of fun!"  
  
"That sounds great.", Devin laughed.  
  
"Well, it was little exhausting, but I had fun all day.", Tenchi said.  
  
"I think it's great that you two can still go out and have a good time like you used to when you first started seeing each other.", Devin said.  
  
"Well we wouldn't be able to if it weren't for you.", Sakuya pointed out.  
  
"Yeah.", Tenchi agreed. "Thanks for watching little Katsuhito for us. I know he can be a real handful sometimes."  
  
Devin shook his head. "It's a pleasure."  
  
"Well, let us bring all this stuff into the kitchen and I'll take him off your hands.", Tenchi suggested.  
  
"Ok.", Devin nodded.  
  
Just as he agreed to it, the phone rang in the hallway. Devin suddenly had a very strong feeling pass over him and he became very alert and serious.  
  
"You guys go ahead and bring that to the kitchen.", Devin said. "I'll answer that."  
  
"Ok.", Tenchi agreed, walking off into the kitchen with Sakuya.  
  
Devin walked over to the phone and, balancing baby Katsuhito in one arm, he picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello, Masaki residence.", he said into the receiver.  
  
"Hi Devin, it's Kiyone.", Kiyone's voice came in through the phone.  
  
"Oh hi, Kiyone.", Devin said cheerfully. "It's been a long time."  
  
"I know.", Kiyone said. "Ever since Mihoshi and I got promoted to the special task force alpha and the new Black Dove relations division, we really haven't had very many opportunities to come and visit."  
  
"Well that's alright.", Devin said. "Whenever you two can make it, you're always welcome."  
  
"Thanks.", Kiyone said. "Listen, I didn't call just to reminisce, as nice as it is to do so. Through my connections in the Black Dove relations division, I've received some information that I thought would be best to relay to you personally."  
  
"And what would that be?", Devin asked, concern setting the tone of his voice.  
  
"You should set two extra places at the dinner table tonight.", Kiyone said. "The king of Jurai was murdered. Sasami and Yugi are coming home."  
  
"Does anyone know who did it?", Devin asked, knowing that this was what he sensed.  
  
"Yugi and Sasami fought with them, but they got away and no one knows who they were.", Kiyone explained.  
  
"They must have been good to get away from Sasami and Yugi, or any Dove for that matter.", Devin said.  
  
"That's what I said.", Kiyone agreed. "Unfortunately, I can't really tell you much else. Mihoshi and I have been assigned to a separate investigation involving the theft of some very expensive Science Academy equipment so we can't really look into it further as of yet."  
  
"That's ok.", Devin said. "You've helped out a lot already. I'm sure the Black Doves can handle the investigation. Especially since it falls under Jurian jurisdiction, given Sasami's identity."  
  
"Well, I wish you luck.", Kiyone said. "I have to get going. Mihoshi and I are due at the Science Academy in an hour."  
  
"Alright.", Devin said. "It was nice talking with you again."  
  
"It was nice talking to you too.", Kiyone agreed.  
  
"Talk to you later.", Devin said.  
  
Devin hung up the phone and stood in contemplation for a moment. Then he called to Tenchi and Sakuya.  
  
"Hey guys, you'd better make enough for two more people tonight.", he called. "We're having company."  
  
"Ok.", Tenchi called back from the kitchen.  
  
***********************************************************  
  
Raven walked downstairs into the living room, a young girl with deep blue hair and amber colored eyes walked beside him. Raven noticed the two familiar visitors and smiled in greeting. Devin was also in the room with them.  
  
"Hello, Sasami, Yugi, it's been a while.", Raven said.  
  
"Hi, Raven.", Sasami smiled.  
  
"It's good to see you again.", Yugi waved.  
  
"Is that your daughter?", Sasami looked at the little girl beside Raven.  
  
"Yes it is.", Raven said. "Say hi, Ryoshi."  
  
The little girl took a bow a smiled. "Hello."  
  
"Oh she's just adorable.", Yugi said.  
  
"Thanks.", Raven said. Then he turned to his daughter. "Alright, sweetie, dinner's almost ready. Why don't you go find Ryo-Ohki and play with her for a while until it's time to eat."  
  
"Ok, daddy.", Ryoshi said and gave Raven a warm hug before running off to find her favorite cabbit.  
  
Sasami watched the little girl disappear into the other room, the thoughts of her own relationship with her father floating through her mind. She sighed.  
  
"So precious.", she said softly.  
  
Devin and Raven both noticed Sasami's reaction and looked at each other. Raven gave Devin a nod and Devin walked over to Sasami.  
  
"Sasami, why don't we take a little walk before dinner?", he proposed. "It's been such a long time since I've seen you."  
  
"Ok.", Sasami said almost exhaustedly. "Yugi, will you be ok here?"  
  
Yugi nodded. "I want to talk to Raven about something anyway."  
  
"Ok. I'll see you in a little while.", Sasami said.  
  
Devin and Sasami walked out through the sliding glass doors and out of the house. Yugi turned to Raven, who had a serious expression on his face. He knew whatever she had to talk to him about was not going to be good.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
Devin and Sasami walked side by side along the moonlit lake. Sasami was explaining the situation to Devin, telling him all that had happened on Jurai. Devin listened attentively, though his focus was a little distracted.  
  
"I just wish I knew who they could be or where they came from.", Sasami said. "I don't understand how they could look just like Yosho, Ayeka, and even me, and even have all the same powers as us."  
  
"It is very confusing.", Devin agreed.  
  
"And where did they learn to fight like that?", Sasami continued. "It was almost like they had gone through Black Dove training."  
  
"Hmm.", Devin thought for a second. "Maybe if we could figure out what they wanted, we could figure out the rest."  
  
"They didn't say.", Sasami shook her head. "And they didn't leave any clues either."  
  
Finally, Devin had to address what was bothering him. "Sasami?"  
  
"Yes, Devin?", Sasami looked up at him.  
  
Devin stopped and faced her. She turned to him, waiting for whatever it was he was going to say. She could see in his eyes that it was going to something important to him.  
  
"What's the foremost thing in your mind right now?", he asked.  
  
"What do you mean?", she looked confused.  
  
"What is the thing that you're thinking of the most right now?", he rephrased his question. "What's been the most important thing in your mind since this whole thing started?"  
  
"Finding and defeating those three criminals.", Sasami said.  
  
Devin sighed. "I have to ask you something else."  
  
"Ok.", Sasami said.  
  
"When your father died, did you cry?", Devin asked.  
  
"Huh?", Sasami looked even more confused. "Devin I don't-"  
  
"Did you shed any tears, Sasami?", Devin interrupted. "Did you cry at all?"  
  
Sasami thought about the question for a moment. She looked back into her memory, trying her hardest to find the answer. Then she realized what it was.  
  
"No.", she answered. "I didn't."  
  
"You've changed so much, Sasami.", Devin said. "You're not the same as when I met you six years ago. You're not the same as before I taught you to fight, or before you went off to become a Black Dove. You've become harder, and colder. You used to be sweet and innocent, full of emotion and light. Now I look at you, and I can't see any of that anymore."  
  
Sasami dropped her gaze to the ground. "Yugi tells me that sometimes, too. I'm sorry Devin. It's just...with all that I've seen and all that I've experienced since I became a Dove, I just... I see things differently now. I had to get colder and less feeling. It protected me from the pain and the sadness that I see and feel out there. I see people dying, all kinds of people. Innocent people. Children, lovers, parents, their faces."  
  
Sasami started to shake her head and she began to cry. She looked up at Devin with sorrow filled eyes.  
  
"Oh, Devin, their faces... I see so much sadness and so much pain. And it isn't just their pain anymore. All that hurt out there that I see, it hurts me too. And I think, what if that was me, or what if it was someone I love or if it was my children. And then I think, if only I could have gotten here sooner or if I could have just been better or faster, or even stronger, then maybe I could have saved them. Maybe I could have saved their children or maybe... if I was just..."  
  
With that, Sasami burst into tears. She collapsed into Devin's arms and buried her face into his shirt, soaking it with her tears and screaming as loud and as hard as she could. She held him as tightly as her muscles would allow, and it started to really hurt him. But he stood there and held her close. He knew exactly how she felt. He knew because he was in her place once. When he was a Dove in the beginning, he had the same struggles and the same feelings. No one realized how difficult being a Black Dove was, until they became one themselves. But he never had anyone to release his feelings with. He never had anyone to cry with or to hold him close, not caring how much it hurt to be gripped as tightly as she was gripping him right now. He knew from the beginning that she would have to go through this if she became a Dove. It was what he had been most afraid of the moment she asked him to teach her how to fight before the last battle with Pitch. But now she was crying hard, screaming, holding him tightly, and he knew that now she would be ok. He let out a relieved sigh, and held her closer.  
  
**********************************************************  
  
"In other words, what I'm trying to say is, since you were a Black Dove long before me and Sasami ever were, do you know how to handle this kind of thing?", Yugi asked, a concerned look on her face.  
  
Raven looked out through the glass doors, noticing Sasami and Devin walking back toward the house, holding each other in each other's arms. He saw Sasami's tear streaked face and reddened cheeks and smiled.  
  
"I think Devin already fixed that problem.", he said.  
  
Yugi turned to see the same view Raven had seen, and she began to smile, very relieved. She turned back to Raven.  
  
"Thanks.", she said.  
  
Devin and Sasami entered into the living room and were met by the friendly smiles of their comrades. Sasami sighed deeply and smiled a gentle smile.  
  
"It's good to be back here.", she said. "No matter what's going on, I'm always surrounded by friends and that makes me feel so much better."  
  
"Well, while you're here, why don't you soak in the bath for a while.", Devin suggested. "I'm sure that would help relax you as well."  
  
Sasami shook her head. "No, I have work to do. I have to find those three criminals who murdered my father."  
  
"Right.", Devin acknowledged. "I'll get ready."  
  
"Oh no, Devin.", Sasami shook her head. "I didn't come here to get you. I came to get Tenchi. He's the rightful heir to the throne, and now that my father is dead, he has to take his place as king of Jurai."  
  
"I have to what?", all eyes fell on Tenchi as he stood with a shocked look on his face in the doorway leading to the kitchen.  
  
"Now that the king is dead, you have to assume the role of King of Jurai.", Sasami repeated.  
  
"Why me?", Tenchi stuttered, still trying to grasp the situation.  
  
"Because there's no one else who can, Tenchi.", Sasami explained. "You're the only heir left, and Jurai needs guidance, especially now."  
  
Tenchi lifted his arm to scratch the back of his head and they could all see that he was giving it real thought. He was older and more responsible now, and he had been offered the throne several times before so this wasn't his first time having to think about it. Sasami was pretty sure he would say yes, but she wanted to give him some extra incentive.  
  
"Please, Tenchi.", she pleaded. "Our people need you."  
  
Tenchi looked up at Sasami, then looked back down at the floor, considering all the aspects of the situation. He never was one to turn away people in need. Not to mention he had been wanting to take Sakuya to see Jurai anyway. He started to think about how it would affect Sakuya, and their son... then Mayuka came into his mind. He thought about what had happened with Yuzuha. He remembered what she said before he killed her.  
  
Juraians! You don't know what they did to me!  
  
Tenchi looked up with a solemn face. "I accept the responsibility as king of Jurai. It will give me a chance to correct some of the mistakes of the past, and possibly stop more such mistakes from happening again in the future."  
  
Raven looked at Tenchi with pride and honor in his eyes and spoke with it in his voice.  
  
"You're grandfather would be proud of you.", he said.  
  
"Thanks, Raven.", Tenchi replied.  
  
At that moment, Sakuya walked in from the kitchen. She had an apron and a cooking glove on.  
  
"Dinner's ready everyone.", she said  
  
Sasami smiled. "Wow. It's gonna be weird eating here and not being the one who cooked the meal for once."  
  
Devin smiled at her and led her into the dining room. Everyone else followed close behind and dinner began. For the first half, everyone seemed to forget their troubles and worries as they gathered around the table and ate together in the ever familiar manner they had used to. During the second half, though, it was time for Tenchi to explain the situation to his wife, with the help of Sasami. She took it well, and actually liked the idea. Raven and Devin offered to look after the house and the shrine in Tenchi's absence. Washu also offered her assistance, as did her daughter, Kerra. The night was a victory all in all. Tenchi, Sasami, and Yugi decided to head out the next morning, while Sakuya would hang back with Katsuhito until Tenchi could sort things out. And finally, the dinner ended with several rounds of sake and lots of friendly singing. 


End file.
